Smiling at the woman she’d grown to like during her visits to Madison before coming to work at the clinic, Chelsea raved about her day, letting her real excitement overshadow all the doubts deep within her.
“You’re going to live with Will for a while?”
“For now,” she admitted. Will had insisted she stay with him, to give them time together. “I’ll eventually look for a place of my own.”
“There’s no rush,” Will interjected. “My place is big enough for us both.”
His place was a gorgeous beach house that Chelsea had fallen in love with the first time she’d seen it several years back. Of course, she loved anything to do with the Gulf. Ever since the spring break she’d spent with Will and his friends in Gulf Shores, she’d adored the beach, felt energized when near the water.
“The view is spectacular,” Leslie added, only to look away when Chelsea gave her a startled look. When had Leslie seen Will’s view? She glanced back and forth between her brother and the nurse practitioner, searching for clues.
Leslie’s quick smile and change of subject was clue enough.
“Jared, I’ve barely seen you since you got back from Guyana,” she said, color high in her cheeks. “Tell me about your trip.”
Jared traced his finger over the condensation forming on the outside of his glass. After a short hesitation he launched into tales of the people he’d met and treated during his six-week stint.
Having finished eating, Jared half listened to the conversation going on around him. Really, though, all his energy was focused on the woman sitting across from him. All evening he’d fought looking at her, fought the urge to find an excuse to touch her. God, she was beautiful. She’d taken her hair down from its ponytail at some point before they’d left the office. The dark, shiny strands teased her shoulders.
He’d like to run his fingers through her hair, to refresh his memory on just how soft her silky tresses were. Only he didn’t recall wanting Chelsea this desperately all those years ago.
Yeah, he’d wanted her badly, enough that he’d made a horrible mistake, had hurt both Laura and Chelsea, but this burning inside him threatened to consume him.
His gaze met hers and his breath caught at the intensity with which she looked at him.
Great expectations shone in her sparkling eyes.
Which scared the hell out of him.
The only expectation he had in regard to Chelsea came with a hazardous-to-health warning.
Hadn’t he learned his lesson? He couldn’t have Chelsea. Not now, not ever. How could he do that to Laura’s memory?
Very simply, he couldn’t.
Not to mention the other hundred and one reasons why he had to throw barriers up between him and Chelsea. Things like her brother, the fact they worked together, the fact that although there were sparks between them he sensed just as much hesitation in her as he himself was experiencing. Perhaps more.
That hesitation intrigued him, made him want to peel away the layers covering who Chelsea really was.
But he wouldn’t.
“I’ve got to run to the ladies’ room,” Leslie announced to no one in particular.
Jared didn’t have a clue what had been said up to that point. All he’d noticed had been the dark desire in Chelsea’s eyes, the tempting swell of her lips, the cautious tilt of her chin.
“Be back in a few.” Will pushed his chair back and stood before Leslie had taken three steps away from the table.
Did they think they were fooling anyone? Perhaps he should give his friend a talk similar to the unnecessary one they’d had earlier in the day about Chelsea.
“Tonight has been fun. I’m glad you were able to make it after all.” Although her voice remained upbeat, her eyes flashed with momentary uncertainty. The fact he found himself wanting to reassure her pushed him into doing the opposite.
“I really didn’t have a whole lot of choice.” He purposely roughened his voice. He couldn’t deal with the awareness she caused. Not at the moment. Not when he was having to remind himself of his loyalty to Laura’s memory. Not when he felt weak in the wake of Connie’s bad news. He felt too raw inside. “As it was a business meal.”
Chelsea picked up her napkin, folding it neatly at the crease. “We may not like the options, but there’s always a choice.”
“Your choice was to come to work in Madison?”
“To be near Will, yes.”